MONTREAL - “Do you know what is an isakaya?” our waitress with the amazing haircut asked as she distributed the menus. Yeah, but we let her explain it to us anyway: The concept is a Japanese-type tapas bar, with plates for sharing — or not, as you prefer. While it hasn’t quite displaced sushi’s dominance, this Asian pub-style dining has popped up more over the last few years in Montreal. Newly opened Kinoya pushes that wave farther east, introducing the concept to St. Denis St.

Owners Devin Chen and Ivy Dong are Chinese and lived in Tokyo for 10 years before relocating to Canada. Chen was, until recently, a software engineer (he says he worked on voice recognition technology for Apple’s Mac G4) with an obsession for Japanese cooking. Having worked at several Tokyo restaurants, he long dreamed of opening his own here. “And who am I to stand in the way of his passion?” his wife shrugged, during a visit to our table. As it turns out, we’re glad she didn’t.

Walking in, though, the zealously floral setting took us aback. With walls, ceiling and floor covered in gigantic pink and black flowers, it looks like packaging for a feminine hygiene product. (It’s not Mary Lou Retton but local designer Jean de Lessard who’s behind the petal-soft theme.)

“If my basement had been decorated like this as a teenager, I would have been very, very happy,” my friend said. Well, that was then; this is now. The irrepressible blooms and remodelling don’t quite transform the cavernous space into anything approaching intimacy.

Fortunately, the food suits more tastes. A complimentary teaser of shredded carrots and Japanese omelette welcomed us to a menu divided into little bites, from agemono (fried) to yakimono (grilled) to noodle dishes.

Kinoya’s yakitori, specifically the skewered chicken thighs (known as momo) was a standout, served with a smear of tare and hot sauce on the plate (though this may not be immediately obvious in the low lighting). Sukiyaki is such a staple that it’s easy to nibble on these brochettes distractedly, but the cooking was so perfect that each bite deserved attention.

I’m definitely curious about the lamb and the beef, both labelled as spicy.

Next came some excellent takoyaki, the best I’ve had in town. A very clean presentation of Osaka’s famous octopus balls, spheres encasing creamy batter, green onions, chewy nubs of octopus and sauce with sharp shades of Worcestershire, a coin-sized dollop of homemade mayo, and large wisps of bonito, the smoky dried tuna shavings, was a total taste immersion.

While the taste was more subtle, ika yaki was a memorable entry. Splayed flat and pod-shaped, like a child’s cartoonish drawing of a fish, the squid was stunning to look at. A house specialty, it’s marinated for an hour, dried for 24 hours, grilled whole, sliced into strips, and striped with homemade mayo and sprinkled with Japanese shichimi, a mixture of seven ingredients that includes sesame seeds, ground ginger and roasted orange peel. The effect is rather delicate, but it has a kind of power.

Other points of reference were covered well, too. Japan’s fried chicken, or kara age, was soft and juicy under a faintly gingery crust. Agedashi tofu brought supersize chunks of tofu in a pool of dark, sweet and salty tempura sauce, with strips of seaweed and grated daikon. A bowl of green beans added a needed vegetable component, and the combination of black sesame paste and white sesame seeds dotting the surface brought a lot of depth. The only non-wow was the homemade kimchee, as the fermented cabbage lacked some zing.

The restaurant also offers a selection of maki. The eel-topped Kinoya, with avocado, shrimp, “rice crispy” and spicy mayo, was bigger, looser, heavier and voluptuously messier than a lot of the tight-laced rolls around town.

With so much to sample, we didn’t succumb to dessert — a choice of green tea, or red bean or, more interestingly, mochi ice cream.

While Kinoya doesn’t have that edgy, gizzards and all, fire and smoke isakaya energy, the food is prepared with a great attention to detail.

It’s a welcome spot to appreciate how much care goes into Japan’s seemingly casual pub fare.

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.